Why Tickle Babies Feet?

When you tickle the toes of newborn babies, the experience for them isn't quite as you would imagine it to be. That's because, according to new evidence, infants in the first four months of life apparently feel that touch and wiggle their feet without connecting the sensation to you.

Can tickling a baby cause problems?

The main thing that makes tickling problematic is that children may not be able to say when they want it to stop. Laughter is an automatic response to being touched by a tickler—it's not a response that the child can opt out of. This puts the tickler in charge of how much or how long the child laughs.

Why you shouldn't tickle your child?

Lawrence Cohen, Ph. D., author of the book “Playful Parenting,” said that tickling can overwhelm the nervous system and make children feel helpless and out of control. The reflexive laughter can disguise discomfort, and even pain. It's also a clear boundary breaker.